Why is the wrong language showing when I test?

Understand why your test emails and links may not display in the guest's preferred language, and how to test correctly.

Plan requirement: Pro plan

Short answer: When you click a link from a test email on the same device you're logged into, the system sees you as the account owner, not as the guest. The guest's preferred language is only applied when the guest themselves opens the link. To test properly, use a private/incognito browser tab, a different browser, or a different device.

Why this happens

This is not a bug. It's a result of how the language system identifies guests.

When a guest receives an ecard or email, the links are personalized to identify them. When the guest clicks one of those links, the system recognizes them, applies their preferred language, and displays the website, ecard, or RSVP form in the correct language.

However, when you send a test email to yourself and click the link on the same browser where you're already logged into your WedSites account, the system sees you as the account owner rather than the guest. Since you're not that guest, the preferred language isn't applied. Instead, you'll see the site in your default language.

Your guests will not have this issue. When they click the link from their own device, the system correctly identifies them and applies their preferred language.

How to test preferred language correctly

Option 1: Use the ?lang parameter

The quickest way to test a specific language is to add ?lang= followed by the language code to the URL. For example:

  • yourwedding.wedsites.com?lang=fr (French)
  • yourwedding.wedsites.com/rsvp?lang=es (Spanish)

This forces the page to display in that language, regardless of your login status. Keep in mind that if you do this while identified as a guest (e.g., via a personalized link from an ecard or email), it will update that guest's preferred language.

Option 2: Use a private or incognito window

  1. Send yourself a test email
  2. Copy the link from the email
  3. Open a private/incognito window in your browser (this ensures you're not logged in)
  4. Paste the link and open it
  5. The preferred language should now apply correctly

Option 3: Use a different browser

  1. Send yourself a test email
  2. Open the link in a browser where you're not logged into WedSites (e.g., if you use Chrome for your dashboard, open the link in Firefox or Safari)

Option 4: Use a different device

  1. Send yourself a test email
  2. Open the email on your phone or tablet (or any device where you're not logged into your WedSites account)
  3. Click the link from there

When does preferred language get applied?

A guest's preferred language is applied when:

  • They click a personalized link from an ecard or email
  • They go through the RSVP form and identify themselves by name
  • They check in on the wedding website

In all of these cases, the system identifies the guest, looks up their preferred language, and displays content in that language.

What if the guest hasn't been assigned a language?

If no preferred language is assigned to a guest, they'll see everything in your website's default language. To assign a preferred language:

  1. Go to Guests
  2. Click on the guest
  3. In the Details tab, find the Preferred language dropdown
  4. Select the language
  5. Click Save guest

Tips

Trust the system. If you've assigned a preferred language to a guest, the language will work correctly when they open a personalized link from an ecard or email. The issue only appears when you test from a logged-in session.

Test one language at a time. If you want to verify each language version, open the personalized link in a private window. After testing one language, close the private window and open a new one for the next test, so the previous guest's cookie doesn't carry over.

Check the language column. You can verify that the correct language is assigned to each guest by enabling the Preferred language column in your guest list settings.

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